Ankylosis of wrist and small joints of the hand occurs in rheumatoid arthritis: Diagnostic implication in paleopathology.

There are no universally accepted criteria for the paleopathological diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent clinical studies show that small joint ankylosis occur in RA at a low frequency (2%). Presence of small joint ankylosis in paleopathological material does therefore not allow one to exclude a diagnosis of RA provided no other bone changes suggestive of spondyloarthropathy are present.

Serum uric acid predicts changes in reports of non-gouty chronic pain: a prospective study among women with inflammatory and non-inflammatory pain.

Widespread pain has earlier been associated with an increase in serum urate (SU). The aim of this study was to longitudinally study the relation between changes in pain reporting and the level of SU among women with chronic pain. Consecutive female patients (n = 124; aged 20-70 years), at rheumatology and rehabilitation practices, with chronic musculoskeletal pain of different origins were followed for 1 year with repeated blood samples and questionnaires.